Machine and method for forming and attaching rands



Oct. 6, 1931. I F. ASHWORTH 1,325,588

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING AND A TTACHING RANDS Filed June 29, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l Flgf. 1.

WAWW

Oct. 6, 931- F. ASHWORTH 1,825,638

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING AND ATTACHING BANDS Filed June 29, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2,.

Oct. 6,1931. F. ASHWORTH 1,825,633

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING AND ATTACHING BANDS Filed June 29, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 in W w W Get. 6, 1931. F. ASHWORTH 1,825,688

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING AND ATTACHING HANDS Filed June 29, 1927 r 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 6, 1931 unrrno PATENT OFYFECE FRED ASHWORTH, OF WENHAM, MASSACHUSETTS,'ASSIGNOR' TO UNITED'SEOE MA CHI-NERY CORPORATION, OF. PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MACHINE AND"METHOZD' FOB FORMING'AND ATTAGHING BANDS Application filed. June 29,

This invention relatesrto rand forming, and attaching machines and methods and is herein shown, by Way of illustration, as embodied in. a machine organized for. forming and attaching rands or the like to heel lifts, the term lift being used throughoutthe following specification and claims in an inclusive sense to denote any heel part suitable for the reception of a rand, without regard to whether suchheel part consists of a single lift or a plurality of lifts. Among the objects of the invention are to enable the rand to be more-ieasilyand accurately formed, to increase the speed with which it isattached, and to produce in a single opera-- tion a..l1eel. blank havinga rand attached and the ends of the rand trimmed, so. thatthe blank is ready to be operated upon immediatelyby the heel compressor.

Heretofore it has been. customary to bend and crimp rands to. a shape whichwas not a very close approximation to that of' a heel 'ift and then to attach such rands to the ifts, usually by progressive tacking, the ends being conformed to the contours of the ifts as well as possible by handasfthe tacking progressed. Occasionally rands have been attached with an adhesive, and forming devices have been providedwhich acted progressively-upon the outer edge of a rand, from its central portion towarditsends, to formthe rand toapproximately the shape of the lift. Neither of these methods has produced a uniformly accurate conformation the rand to the contour'of the lift,:and forming devices of the usual type, which force the rand strip into a wedge shaped space between asupportand a presser foot, or between. presser foot and-a. lift, not

- i infrequently cause damage to the: rand, es-

pecially when the dimensions of the rand strip are, greater than those of the space into which it must be forced.

With the above stated objectsand conditionsin view, a feature-of the in-ventionconsists in the combination withra former having an internal face of a predetermined shape which it is desired to impart to a rand of means for forcing the outer edge of a rand strip into conformity with saidface of the 1927. Serial No.. 202,446;

former. The conformation of the rand edge to the face of the former may be accomplishedeasily and the product is uniformlyaccurate in size and shape and in the illustrated embodiment of the invention means is. provided. for attaching the formed rand to a lift. The forcing of the rand strip into contact-with the former ispreferably effected by means, comprising, for example, movable grippers, which; hold the strip by its. ends while forcing, it into engagement with the former. Inthisconnection, in its method-aspect the invention-comprises curving a rand strip, holding: the strip by its ends, and forcing- .its' outer edge into contact with the internal'face of a former having the shape which it is desired to. impart to the. rand.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of improved means for attaching a formed rand to a lift. As illustrated herein, the machine embodies means for applying attaching pressure to an adhesively coated rand and lift at. a. plurality of separated spots, whereby adequate attachment may be secured Witlrless power and a lighter machine than if pressurewere appliedover the entire contacting surfaces of the parts. In this connection, novelty isalso to be recognizechin coating the-contacting surfaces of shoe parts with an adhesive, assembling the parts with said surfaces in contact, and applying pressure which-is concentrated upon a smallportion of the area of the contacting surfaces, preferably at-a plurality of-separated spots.

The: above, and otherfeaturesof the in vention, relating to mechanism for holding, feeding and trimming the ends of'the rand, and'ej'ecting the'product from the machine, will be more fully; understood and appreciatedvafter reading thefollowing :detailed description ofone practical embodiment of the invention, .in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a 'view, .in' elevation, .of the-left side of the machine;

-Fig;. 2 is a view of the machine in front elevation;

."Fig, 3: is aiperspective; view of the. rand former and work carrier, showing the carrier in work receiving position;

Fig. 4 shows the same parts in forming positlon;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the rand forming, attaching, and trimming device in operating position;

Fig. 6 is a similar view with the parts in work receiving position;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the same parts after the rand has been trimmed; and

Fig. 8 shows the product of the machine.

Referring now to the drawings, the operating mechanism of the machine is supported upon a base 10 upon which is mounted a bearing 12 for the shaft 14 of a driving pulley 16 which may be driven from any suitable source of power. The inner end of the shaft 14 carries a pinion 18 which meshes with a gear 20 (Figs. 1 and 2) loosely mounted upon a shaft 22 and arranged to be connected to and disconnected from said shaft by a single revolution clutch 24 which is controlled by a treadle 26.

The shaft 22 has secured to it a gear 28 which meshes with a gear 30 upon a countershaft 32. A bevel gear 34, fast upon the counter-shaft, meshes with and drives a similar bevel gear 36 secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft 38. The shaft 38 carries at its upper end a bevel gear 40 which drives another bevel gear 42 secured to a shaft 44 rotatable in hearings in the machine head 46.

A stationary table 48 is provided with dove-tail guides in which is mounted for sliding movement, fore and aft of the machine, a reciprocable carrier 50 to which is secured by a screw 52 a heel shaped work support 54 (see Figs. 3 and 6). The work support 54 consists of a number of superposed plates which are individually removable to permit adjustment of the height of the work support to accommodate lifts of different thicknesses. A spring finger 56 is arranged above the breast portion of the support 54 and projecting over a recess in the support in a position to permit a lift to be inserted under the finger, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and to retain the lift upon the support during the movement of the carrier.

A cutting block 58 is also secured to the carrier 50 by a screw 60 and serves both as a breast gage for the lift and as a support for the ends of a rand. The ends of the rand are held upon the block 58 by. a pair of spaced apart gripper fingers 62 which are pivoted upon bolts 64 secured in a holder 66 mounted upon a short shaft 68 which is carried by a rocker bearing 70. The shaft 68 has a flat surface formed upon it at 72 and a spring pressed plunger 74, which bears upon said fiat surface. tends to keep the shaft 68 in such a transverse angular position that the gripper fingers 62 are at substantially the same level, but permits the gripper holder to rock transversely sufficiently to equalize automatically the pressure of the two grippers upon the respective ends of the rand.

The gripper fingers 62 are so connected together by gear segments 76 that they are constrained to move equally and oppositely about the pivot bolts 64. An adjusting screw 7 8 is provided for adjusting the spacing of the gripper fingers to blanks of different widths. The bearing is mounted to rock about a horizontal pivot 80, and a fairly stifi' compression spring 82 (Fig. 6) tends to rock it in such a direction as to press the fingers 62 toward the block 58.

A downward extension 84 (Figs. 3 and 4) rigid with the rocker bearing 70, has a surface 86 formed at its lower end for engagement with a latch 88 which is pressed upward by a spring 92. The purpose of this latch is to hold the gripper fingers 62 elevated when the lift support 54 is in work receiving position. A rod 92 is slidably mounted in the extension 84 and has at its upper end a button 94 which is in a convenient position to be struck by the hand of the operator of the machine. The lower end of the rod 02 engages a lip 96 upon the latch 88 and when the button 94 is struck or depressed the latch 88 is disengaged from the extension 84, permitting the gripper fingers 62 to be pressed down upon the ends of a rand resting upon the block 58 by the action of the spring 80.

The rand former consists of a pair of jaws 98 resting upon the table 48 (Fig. 3) and pivotally movable about vertical bolts 100 through limited angles. A spring pressed plunger 102 bearing against the backs of the said jaws tends to move them to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 where the former is expanded to permit easy introduction of the blank through the open front of the former. The internal face 104 of the former is exactly of the predetermined size and shape which it is desired to impart to the rand and the lift support 54 is of the same size and shape. It will be apparent from Figs. 3, 4 and 6 that when the carrier 50 is moved rearward the lift support 54 will engage the rear portions of the jaws 98 and close the former until its internal face engages closely the edge of said support.

The carrier 50 is moved to and fro at the proper times by a gear segment 106 which meshes with a rack 108 upon the under side of the carrier. The gear segment 106 is mounted to oscillate about a center 110 and is rigid with an arm 112 which is connected by a link 114 to a cam lever 116 movable about a stationary pivot 118 and carrying a cam roll 120 which is operated by a cam 122 upon the counter shaft 32.

secured 'by a. bolt 126? and nut 128 to a' b'l'ock. 130 pivotally supported: in bearings 132.1

formed in; a. vertically. movable slide 134 which has, 1at its upper end, a: camroll 136v engaginga closed cam 138 (Fig.2) upon the shaft44 The lower face of the plungerv is -formed to'present' a. plurality of small, separated surfaces 140 which apply the rand attaching pressure at a plurality of"s'epa-' rated" spots;

The trimming of the rand is effected by a'knife 142-which is: guided for vertical movement in slots'l44 in adjustable blocks 146: (Fig. The'knife isadjustably connected by a belt 148 and-nuts 150 to a knife slide 152 which is movable vertically inia stationary guide 154. The slide 152 is pro vided with rack-teeth 156' which mesh with th'ewteeth' of agearsegment 158 movable about a stationary pivot 160'and carrying a depending arm 162which is provided with a cam roll 164, engaged and operated by a cam 166' which is secured upon the shaft 44.

\Vhen the carrier 50- is in work receiving position the rand former is open at thebottom to a chute168 by'which the completed blanks are received and conducted out of the machine. In the normal, stopped position of the machine the plunger 124 and the knife 142 are down, the former jaws 98 are open and the carrier 50 is not quite atthe 'outer limitof its forward movement.

The gripper fingers 62 .are held elevated, as

which the rand is to be attached is'coated withan adhesive, as is the contacting-face of the randstri-p. I prefer to use an adhesive consisting of, or containing, rubber latex and to coat the surfaces of the work with the adhesive and allow them to dry before they are brought to the machine; Shoe parts thus preparedmay be secured together quite strongly by the mere application of sufficient pressure.

The adhesively coated rand strip 172 is curved in approximately its own plane and its ends are positioned upon the block 58 beneath the grippers 62, the rand resting upon the lift. It is not necessary for the operatortofit the rand carefuly to the con tour of the lift, the only requirement being that the free portion of the rand strip be sufficiently long to reach around the curved portion of the lift or extend somewhat over the edges thereof. The button 94 is now depressed, releasing the latch 88 and permitting the grippers'62 to engage the rand ends and hold them upon the block 58. The; pressure exerted by the spring 82 is sufliciently Y yielding to, permit the rand-to slide. under= the: grippers if: sufiicient 1 force isapp'liedi. The starting-1 treadle 26 isnow actuated: and-the remainder of the operation of? the: machine is automatic. Thesliding' carrier' 50 first moves outward for a short distance while the plunger 124 and the knife 142sstartiup. The work carrier then moves inward untils thetliftsupport '54 en gages theinternal face 104 of the former jaws 98-and closes-the former. -During. I

this "movement the rand strip, being held only at its: ends, is: pushed into contact with the'internal face of? the former, into conformity'with which the outeredge ofthe randstrip: is forced; If-movement of the carrier c ontinuesiafter the edge of the rand strip is in contactvwith theformer throughout itslength: theends of the strip may slide under theayielding; gripper jaws '62. Inasmuch as the liftlZO :is of the: same size' and shape as the lift support 54 and the internal face of'the former, the randthus formed mustfit exactly andaccurately to the'edge of thelift;

The carrier 50 stops at the end of its inward movement-and the plunger 124 descends, pressing the contacting surfaces of the rand and lift together ata: plurality of separatedspots.v By thus concentrating the pressure upon a small. portion ofthe' area of-the 'contacting surfaces it is possible to get a' secure spot fastening ofthe parts together "with a :machine of lighter'constructionand using less: powerthan would be necessary if pressurewere applied overthe entire contacting areas of the parts. This conspicuously true when the adhesive used con'tains rubber latex which hasbeen allowed to dry, since a fairly heavy pressure is required to' obtain secure adhesion between the parts.

VVh-ile the rand attaching plunger'124' is down the knife 142 descends and trims oil the' overhanging ends of the rand, substantially flush with the breast edge'of the lift. The knife-themrises a very short distance, buti'notsufliciently: to permit the blank to be moved'forward beneath it. The carrier 50-now moves forward from beneath the blank-and the plunger 124 moves further down to insure the ejection of I. the blank through the bottom of the former into the chute 168. The machine finally stopswith the parts in their 'initial positions, ready for therecep-tion'of' the parts of the next blank.

Having'described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent-is: I

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination-eta formerhaving an internal faceof'a predetermined shape which it-is desired to'impart to airand, and-means for forcingthe outeredge of a rand-strip into conformity with said face of the former.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a contractile former which when contracted has an internal face of a predetermined shape which it is desired to impartto a rand, and means for contracting said former and forcing the outer edge of a rand strip outward into conformity with said internal face thereof.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of-aformer having an internal face of a predetermined shape which it is desired to impart to a rand, and means for gripping the ends of a curved rand strip and pushing the outer edge of the strip into conformity with said face of the former.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rand former, means for holding the ends of a rand and forcing it into contact with the former, and means for trimming the ends of the rand while it is in the former.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rand former, means for holding the ends of a rand and forcing it into contact with the former, means for attaching the formed rand to a lift, and means for trimming the ends of the rand while it is in the former.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a former, a carrier movable toward and from said former, a lift support on the carrier, and rand end grippers on the carrier adjacent to the lift support.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a contractile former which when contracted has an internal face of a predetermined size and shape which it is desired to impart to a rand, a movable lift support of the same size and shape as the internal face of the contracted former, and means for contracting the former by moving the lift support into engagement therewith.

8. In a rand forming and attaching machine, the combination of a stationary former, a carrier movable toward and from said former, a lift support on the carrier, means for holding a rand in loosely assembled relation to a lift upon the support and forming the rand when the carrier is moved toward the former, and means for attaching the rand to the lift.

9. In a machine of the class described, a support for the ends of a rand, a pair of spaced apart gripper fingers arranged to press the ends of the rand yieldingly upon said support, and a carrier upon which the grippers are mounted, said carrier being angular-1y movable to permitautomatic equalization of the pressure of said fingers upon the rand.

10. In a rand attaching machine, the combination of a former which is open at the bottom, a blank carrier movable into a position to sustain a blank in the former, a plunger operable to attach a rand to a lift upon the carrier, means for retracting the carrier, and means for thereafter operating the plunger to eject the blank through the bottom of the former.

11. In a rand attaching and trimming machine, the combination of a heel shaped former which is open at the bottom and the breast, a blank carrier movable to introduce a blank into the former through the opening at the breast and to sustain the blank in the former, a plunger operable to attach a rand to a lift upon the carrier, a knife operable past the breast side of the former to trim the ends of the rand, means for retracting the carrier while the knife is still in front of the blank, and means for thereafter ope 'ating the plunger to eject the blank through the bottom of the former.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a carrier, a combined breast gage and cutting block upon the carrier, a blank support upon which a lift and a rand may be assembled with the projecting ends of the rand resting upon said block, and a rand end trimming knife operable to cut off the said projecting ends of the rand.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a carrier, a combined breast gage and cutting block upon the carrier, a blank support upon which a lift and a rand may be assembled with the projecting ends of the rand resting upon said block, grippers arranged to hold the ends of the rand upon the block, and a rand end trimming knife operable to cut off the projecting ends of the rand between the grippers and the blank.

14. In a rand attaching machine, the combination of means for supporting an adhesively coated lift and rand in assembled relation, and means for applying attaching pressure to the assembly only at a plurality of separated spots.

15. In a rand attaching machine, the combination of a blank support, and a pressure applying plunger movable toward said support, said plunger having a pressure applying face consisting solely of a plurality of small, separated surfaces.

16. The method of forming a rand to a predetermined shape which consists in forcing the outer edge of a rand strip outward into conformity with the internal face of a former of said predetermined shape.

17. The method of forming a rand to a predetermined shape which consists in curving a rand strip in approximately its own plane, holding the strip by its ends, and forcing the outer edge of the strip into contact with the internal face of a former of said predetermined shape.

18. The method of forming a rand to a predetermined shape which consists in curving a rand strip in approximately its own plane, holding the strip yieldingly by its ends, and moving the strip in its own plane into a former having an internal face of said predetermined shape until the outer edge of the strip is forced into conformity with said face of the former.

19. The method of forming and attaching a rand to a heel blank which consists in curving a rand strip, assembling said strip loosely with a heel blank, holding the strip by its ends, moving the strip and the blank in their own planes into a former of the same size and shape as the blank until the edge of the blank engages the internal face of the former and the outer edge of the strip is forced into conformity with said face of the former, and then attaching the strip to the blank.

20. The method of fastening shoe parts together which consists in coating the entire contacting surfaces of said parts with an adhesive, assembling said parts with their adhesive carrying surfaces in contact with each other, and applying to said parts pressure which is concentrated upon a small portion of the area of their contacting surfaces.

21. The method of spot fastening shoe parts together which consists in coating the entire contacting surfaces of said parts with an adhesive, assembling said parts with their adhesive carrying surfaces in contact with each other, and applying pressure to said parts simultaneously only at a plurality of separated spots.

22. The method of spot fastening shoe parts together which consists in applying to the surfaces of a plurality of shoe parts an adhesive containing rubber latex, allow ing the adhesive to dry, assembling said parts with their adhesive carrying surfaces in contact with each other, and applying to said parts pressure which is concentrated in spots.

23. In a rand machine, the combination of a heel shaped former which is open at the breast, a cutting block arranged to support the breast ends of a rand in the former, a presser movable into the former to apply pressure to the rand, and a knife movable relatively to the presser toward the cutting block to cut off the ends of the formed rand while it is held under pressure.

24:. In a rand machine, the combination of a support, a heel shaped former which is open at the breast and is constructed and arranged to facilitate the forming of a rand upon the support, a cutting block arranged to support the breast ends of a rand upon the support, a presser movable toward the support to apply pressure to the formed rand, and a knife movable relatively to the presser toward the cutting block to cut off the ends of the formed rand while it is held under pressure.

25. In a rand attaching machine, the com- I bination of a heel blank support, a cutting block at the breast side of the support, a heel blank former which is open at the breast and arranged to receive an assembled lift and rand with the ends of the rand projecting over the cutting block, a presser movable into the former to press the lift and rand together, and a knife movable toward the cutting block to cut off the ends of the rand while the work is held under pressure.

26. In a rand attaching machine, the combination of an unyielding heel blank support, a cutting block at the breast side of the support, a presser movable toward said support to apply attaching pressure to a lift and rand assembled upon the support with the ends of the rand projecting over the cutting block, and a knife movable toward the cutting block to cut off the ends of the rand while the work is held under pressure after the pressure applying movement of the presser has ceased.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRED ASHWORTH. 

